User reviews

This movie has its funny moments but is definitely not a comedy. Jim Gaffigan is great. Rhea is great. The movie is more like Cloud Atlas though. When it all comes together at the end, one is pleasantly surprised. We were waiting for the funny that never really happened. Couple of plot holes that are never filled in. Glad it was only six dollars to watch. I'd recommend waiting till it's free somewhere. Jim Gaffigan shows he can do drama in this one. You see some of Rhea Seahorn's fun side toward the end but she could extend upon that. I'm glad I rented this flick but it was definitely not a typical comedy.

Jim Gaffigan plays Cameron Edwin, a gentle man, and aspiring astronaut with a daughter and wife who is to soon divorce him. When the job he loves as a children's tv science program presenter is taken from him, he decides to do something special - with the help of his ailing father he sets out to build a rocket to take him into space. Strange little things start taking place which Cameron doesn't understand including an old woman's frequent appearance and the fact that the father of his daughter's new friend looks very much like Cameron.

Sweet natured, rather lovely film with a glowing, fatherly turn from Gaffigan. The events, whilst strange and often without motive, reason or real direction don't trouble the viewer and all in all it's an enjoyable, bewildering but pleasant journey. Where it will really get to you is in the clever and slightly heart wrenching climactic 15 minutes where everything that has occurred is explained - and it doesn't disappoint.

Wrongly advertised as a comedy, "Linoleum" offers a surreal insight into the life of one man. Ihe film starts as a simple family tale about a divorsing parents who are both trying to chase their dreams and also their rebellious teenage daughter. In some scenes it almost appears as a fairy tale, but as we dive deeper an deeper into the story, we tell ourselves "I feel there is more to this film than it seems" and we would be right. It all boils down to the last 15 minutes, where the final plot twist is shot so beautifully with great music, that the whole film becomes incredibly moving and endearing. I would definitely recommend this film, bacause what looks like as a strange series of events in the begining is actually an emotional lovely but still modest film in the end.

In surreal little dramedy "Linoleum" late forties Ohio suburbanite scientist Jim Gaffigan's uninspiring career in local kids tv is slumping, wife Rhea Seehorn's divorcing him, a younger brasher version of himself has turned up in town, AND a rocket has crashed in his backyard - but at least teen daughter Katelyn Nacon (excellent) loves him (but does she also love new kid in town Gabriel Rush?). All these strands are pulled as the 'plot' meanders with unclear reason or meaning until its final 5-10mins when writer / director Colin West's vision finally comes into focus in a way many will find as clever as "The Father" while many will still find bafflingly pointless.

I thought I was watching paint dry as I watched this film play out and in many ways I was. The slow pace, bland(ish) story and somewhat fantastical elements left me wondering where the film was taking me and why they had to present such mundane elements of life to get there. But I nevertheless persevered, motivated only by the hope that some radical conclusion could bring this story together and redeem the past 90 minutes I had been watching it for.

These 90 mins mostly comprised of reflections of failed careers, past regrets and a budding teenage romance all interspersed across the backdrop of a dysfunctional family's lives uprooted by the collision of a rocket in their backyard. Of course these tropes have been played out many times before and the film struggles to find originality in these core themes, though is nonetheless entertaining as it presents them through the lense of pop-science and the spacecraft that fueled our imaginations as children; a thematic element that strikes a deep chord of nostalgia throughout the film.

But make no mistake, this is a fantastic movie, because not only did the movie tie these seemingly separate stories together brilliantly, the movie concludes with one of the most poignant endings i've experienced in film for a very long time.

As each brush stroke played out across the screen it was not until the final stroke and the drying of the paint that it was clear where this movie was heading, and had been heading all along. A perfect reflection of the underlying tragedies experienced by the characters and the beauty of love persevering through it all.

Though my mind did correctly glance across possibilities of the conclusion before it ended and perhaps some allusions to the climax were a little on the nose, I nonetheless found tears streaming uncontrollably down my cheeks as the movie ended. While the credits rolled I left the film in a state of deep reflection, pondering the true nature of each character and the film's diverse imagery, this state of reflection I can only attest to being the quality of a great film.

I was confused during the first 70 minutes because i couldn't understood what i was watching. DONNIE DARKO vibes + a scifi drama + a family drama + a coming of age movie. These "ingredients" were not mixing well. I thought that this movie didn't make sense. There was only one twist that could give sense to all of this and wrap it up. Unfortunately, i guessed it, so when it happened, i was not much surprised. However, this was not exactly the twist i thought. Movie's twist was way better in its entirety and the last 20 minutes are beautiful.

So, there is a payoff for those who, like me, don't love the first 70 minutes. But, one can argue it's too late. I am not saying the first part is bad, but i was not enjoying this, it was mediocre for me. Zero chemistry between Gaffigan and Seehorn, they seemed more like uncle/niece than husband/wife. Furthermore, there were some scenes that contradicted the tone of this movie, i mean, this was not a heavy drama but some really dark and sad things happened and it was like i was watching two or three different movies.

In the end, everything comes together and i respect the fact that director didn't leave anything unexplained. Ambiguous ending means usually lazy writing. No lazy writing here, Colin West respects the audience.

But i can't rate it higher because i didn't enjoy it much during the first part. And when this got better and coherent, i was distanced from this and i didn't care much about these characters.

It's a odd movie, they are an odd couple with an odd relationship to each other and their kids...I'm not sure what they are trying to do with it and what they are getting at. But there's 10 minutes left and they are trying to slow mo everything together to make sense. The acting is great, real solid. Nicely shot, it starts brilliantly and is a steady plod but does it really lead anywhere? I suppose it's about death and whether you have furfilled your dreams, your destiny. Nope, I'm confused, I don't know whos who and who's doing what in this last 10 minutes so my score has reflected that because quite frankly after this ending I don't know what I've been watching!

Saw this tonight at the first night of the Columbus Film Festival and Columbus local writer/director Colin West has created a stunning film.

Flowing through a beautiful film with a warm tone, West creates a world where dreams are followed, family is important, and the best in human nature ultimately wins out. Marvelous performances from Gaffigan. Katelyn Nacon, and Michael Ian Black (with a short notable performance by Tony Shalhoub) pay off with a heart warming ending that reminds me why I love movies.

There's a lot to digest here as the movie moves though sci-fi and fantasy while depicting typical days in our daily lives. But stick with this film though it's somewhat slow second act for the ending which put a big smile on my face as I walked out of the theater.

The review that is currently on the front page is one of the strangest things i've ever read, it gets the basics of the premise right, but calls it a "Quirky and surprising sci-fi satire"

This is not a sci-fi film, and in no way is it a satire, and i mean AT ALL. It is "Quirky" though. I'll do my best to leave out spoilers because while the plot here isn't complex, it really hinges on how well you can appreciate the central trick of the story which is revealed at the end. It doesnt land perfectly but i appreciate movies that go for something different and i like the idea they were going for enough that I'm willing to overlook directing choices i might have made differently

Ultimately, I'll say the movie is hard to pin down, genre wise, I'll call it a quirky suburban family drama with a few structural elements of a Psychological Thriller, without being as dark or tense as that would generally suggest, and with some *very minimal* retro-kitsche sci-fi visuals. The overall vibe is a little somber, and nostalgic, but mostly fun, punctuated with mysterious moments that coalesce into a cathartic release at the end that you wouldn't expect given the relaxed pace of the rest.

Key themes are Nostalgia, Aging, Regret, Coming of age, and miscommunication.

Ultimately not a life-changing movie for me, but a unique one, and definitely worth the hour and 38 minute runtime. For the right person who wants/needs to ruminate on its themes, this could become a really beloved movie. I'm 33 and i feel like this movie would hit harder for someone a decade or 2 older than me.

I do think marketing could have been better with this film, as I was hoping for some science fiction revolving around time travel or alternate realities. But no, it's not that, and I won't say more to avoid having the click the "spoilers" radio button.

So with that in mind the film is going to be a let-down if you also were expecting that.

Is the film a one or two or nine or ten?? NO, you can ignore those reviewers as that is crazy town. The film has some tender redeeming aspects but also isn't anything amazing either. I think I could have given it a six or seven if they would have left out all the slooow filler junk that pretended to be science fiction but wasn't or the overused social commentary regurgitation. You don't get points for being lazy.

Seriously, nobody cares about your sexual orientation any more. Stop trying to make everything in your life about that. Suppose I approach everyone I meet and beat them over the head with my model train hobby until they embrace the distinction between "scale" and "gauge"??? Yeah, lots of fun for everyone...

Anyway, the first third of the film was somewhat interesting, the middle third was nap time and the final third was depressing because by then there was really nothing left other than to just spell it all out for the slow folks in the audience.

What it was though was an utter mess. I've never seen a movie skitter through so many tonal shifts, not to mention the space time continuum, and to what end? The movie seems to have its fans but I was left scratching my head as to what I was suppose to take away from it. Some reviews mention that the mess of its disjointed parts comes together in the last 10 minutes yet I found myself just being more confounded and confused. It was a mood piece that relied on "atmospheric" music, weird editing and lighting to impart significance to a cinematic fever dream about nothing. Another unforgivable aspect is that there must be around 10 minutes worth of repeated vignettes of scenes that are dropped in at various junctures to, again I ask, what end? Its final sin...it was boring.

This was just a beautiful, funny, complicated film that will ultimately tug at your heartstrings. I just can't say much without spoiling the film, but know that if you take the time to see and savor this film, you will not soon forget it. I mean, how can you not be taken in by a film that starts with a corvette falling out of the sky? There are many comic moments, but this is definitely not a comedy.

Life is complicated, often hard and exploring it is never easy. This film does a good job of reminding us of that, as we all start to power down.

I thought all of the actors did an exceptional job, and I loved the little tidbits of science scatered in. Just a lovely little film!

I have to say that I was mesmerised by the first half hour of this movie. It gave off a"primer" feeling accompanied by some really interesting coloring choices , leveraging chromatic aberration as its principle theme.

The script was on point too - well at least it started as such, hinting at a self-reflection from someone who feels their life has amounted to nothing. Dark, deep and intriguing.

BUT at the 45 minute mark something very strange happened and the movie switch gears into the standard "coming of age" theme and lays on cliche after trope. I honestly have the feeling that this movie had good intentions but really required some extra funding from special interest groups that wanted to see a specific political message included here.

And sure enough, at the 1h mark you're watching something completely different. It's quite frankly the cardinal sin of movie making and totally breaks the immersion. I think this is when people should stand up and leave the theatre but for the sake of it I finished it and outside a half-hearted attempt at bringing back the mesmerising first half hour, this wasn't far with a terrible TV series from the PC police.

The industry needs to take a serious look at how movies are budgeted today, because the current scheme is simply not geared towards creating art (pi, primer, etc) but instead rehashing the same tired tropes to push a very specific very geographically located political agenda.

Go woke, don't go to space I guess.

SXSW 2022 Greetings again from the darkness. For those of us who spend entirely too many hours of our life watching movies, it's always a welcome pleasure to stumble upon one that is creative and innovative and entertaining. The first feature film from writer-director Colin West is all that, plus it's funny and touching and features some science. As an added bonus, it features the always great Jim Gaffigan in a dual starring role.

Mr. Gaffigan stars as Cameron, a middle-aged guy who writes, acts, and films an educational children's science show for Public Access TV titled, "Above and Beyond". Imagine a blend of Carl Sagan and Bill Nye the Science Guy. It's a show he and his wife Erin (Rhea Seehorn, "Better Call Saul") started together, but now she works at the local Air & Space Museum as the two await the finalization of their divorce.

Cameron has been waiting patiently for a preferred time slot, and one day his producer delivers news that's both good and bad. The show is being picked up for distribution, but they have hired a new host. In what is anything but the oddest thing to happen so far in the story, Cameron can't help but notice how much he and the new host look alike - although the personality differences are startling. It turns out the new guy bought the house right across the street from Cameron and Erin, and new guy has a teenage son, Marc (Gabriel Rush), who awkwardly befriends their daughter Nora (Katelyn Nacon).

When a satellite crashes in his yard, Cameron seizes the opportunity to become the astronaut he always dreamt of being by attempting to re-build the tangled mess into a custom rocket ship. Obviously I have left out many details in an effort to avoid spoilers for a story that is at times surreal, and can be best enjoyed going in cold. Other familiar faces appearing briefly in supporting roles include Tony Shalhoub, Amy Hargreaves, and Michael Ian Black. We have seen parallel universe films before, but filmmaker Colin West treats us to something a bit different. It may seem like a low-key affair, but "it's not that simple." Narrative Feature Competition Category - SXSW.

So, without giving any specifics of the plot away, the movie would rate probably a 6 or 7 if not for the fact that the writers just HAD to include current year plot points for LITERALLY no reason at all whatsoever. The teenage girl CLAIMS to be lesbian, even though there is not a single thing in the movie that affirms that assertion, including the ending, nor the story line itself. The teenage boy apparently likes to wear girls panties, which has literally NO reason for being a plot point in this movie with the sole exception of a single photo op. When I say literally, I am using the original definition of that word, not the "o.m.g. I'm literally going to die if I don't get those concert tickets" meaning. The only reason for thee two story arcs is literally just to check the appropriate boxes. Oh, and how could I forget the required "Christian parent is a monster" story line? I mean... What current movie would be complete without dragging Christianity through the mud? Amirite?

I'm not even going to bother giving you the reasons you might WANT to watch this. If you want those reasons, read what someone else might have to say. If the plot points I've laid out here are not enough to steer you clear of this movie, you'll probably enjoy it.

I mean I was so stuck in the middle with a rating. I'm writing this at 1:22:00 into the movie. There is an old lady in this movie that's definitely a representation of Roberta Sparrow from Donnie Darko. A rocket ship (or plane engine) crashes I. The front yard. Is Jim suppose to be a paradox of Donnie Darko fro another reality....cmon.... Halloween and everything.

Can we get a little more original? Still, I liked it and wondered if Richard Kelly had this...would DD had done better? Definitely one to own in the cult classic category and I will purchase this movie to watch again and again, just because the creator took something and reproduced it to a new vision.

I could be wrong and just stuck on Donnie, but with that being said, this has a good effect and tis a good movie. Rockets, time machine in the mind.... Magic and science. Gave it a 5, but my heart says 9 stars.

There are a lot of little stories and side plots and characters that are subtly intertwined and come together in the end. That may not make a lot of sense, but it might once you watch the movie. I can't imagine how someone could have the creativity to think of this movie, let alone write it. It kind of renews your faith in movies as a whole; a creative, original work can still be put out there.

This movie is categorized as comedy, drama, and sci-fi, but it's actually mostly drama. Also, I was expecting Jim Gaffigan to be wacky and funny, and he is quirky and humorous in the movie, but his role is mostly serious and he does a surprisingly good job.

I kept waiting for it to start. It really was both way to slow annd way to confusing. They did a poor job transitioning between scenes and it felt like maybe they were writing it ans they went instead of following a real plot line. I tried but about half way through was so bored I turned it off. DNF.

The acting was meh. The characters all seemed like maybe they had taken Valium before coming to set. They all just seemed so sleepy, they talked slow, walked slow, even the music was slow. Heck he wiped out on his bike going super slow because a red corvette pulled away from him going relatively slow.

I saw LINOLEUM at the Montclair Film Festival and there was a Q&A with director Colin West and producer Chadd Harbold that followed the screening. (Along with a lottery ticket giveaway by Colin for people in the audience who share the same birthday!) The audience was very enthusiastic, as was I and my wife. A very unique film and ne that could easily be ruined by simple spoilers.

You need to pay attention because there is subtle time shifting etc. But we felt it all came together in the last third of the film with many a revelatory "oh, yeah" from us - and that continued after we left the theater (for me, the sign of a great film) I still have lots of questions and want to see the film again. (Was Kent an astronaut? Did something really crash into their backyard?) I would highly recommend this film. See it with some people that you can have a conversation with afterwards.